Thin-film transistor and thin-film diode having amorphous-oxide semiconductor layer

A thin-film transistor including a channel layer being formed of an oxide semiconductor transparent to visible light and having a refractive index of nx, a gate-insulating layer disposed on one face of the channel layer, and a transparent layer disposed on the other face of the channel layer and having a refractive index of nt, where there is a relationship of nx>nt. A thin-film transistor including a substrate having a refractive index of no, a transparent layer disposed on the substrate and having a refractive index of nt, and a channel layer disposed on the transparent layer and having a refractive index of nx, where there is a relationship of nx>nt>no.

Anastomotic staple with capillary which expels a bonding agent upon deformation

A surgical fastener for use with an anastomosis of two tissues includes a base leg and an upright leg. The base leg is selectively deformable and includes a traumatic tip for piecing tissue. The surgical fastener also includes at least one capillary disposed on the base leg which has a reservoir defined therein for retaining a liquid, e.g., bioadhesive, bonding agent, medicament, etc. Each of the capillaries is ruptureable upon deformation of the surgical fastener to dispense the liquid to the anastomosis site.

Apparatus and method for current control in H-Bridge load drivers

An electronic current control circuit is provided. This electronic circuit comprises a power-supply, an H-Bridge module connected to a load, and a current sensor connected between the H-Bridge module and the power-supply and adapted to sense load current characteristics. A computerized controller is connected to the current sensor and the H-Bridge module, includes at least a module for operating load current analysis algorithm for analyzing the load current characteristics to determine current control parameters that provide over-current protection and load current control. A load current control module controls the H-Bridge module based upon the current control parameters.

System and methods for a micropayment-enabled marketplace with permission-based, self-service, precision-targeted delivery of advertising, entertainment and informational content and relationship marketing to anonymous internet users

A method of enabling anonymous Internet users to publish and manage extensive, non-identifying personal data, including demographic, psychographic, needs, wants, interests, propensities, means to purchase, credibility and other data which in turn, enables a marketplace wherein such users, advertisers, websites, and other third-parties can mutually benefit from the commercial exploitation of such data. Advertisers can directly use the data to segregate the users into highly differentiated anonymous audiences for the purposes of targeting them with individualized marketing campaigns and then monitor user responses in near real-time. Websites can individualize their content to the profiles of visiting users. Users can share surface and deep web links with other users having similar profiles. Consumers participating in good faith are proportionately rewarded via revenue sharing, which they may withdraw from the marketplace or use to purchase and rent digital content offered in the marketplace's micropayment-enabled storefronts by other users and third-party content providers.

Systems and methods for processing analyte sensor data

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for processing sensor data, including calculating a rate of change of sensor data and/or determining an acceptability of sensor or reference data.

Substrate processing methods

Substrate processing methods involve forming an insulating film of amorphous carbon on a substrate by supplying acetylene gas and hydrogen gas with a volume ratio of 4:3 to 4:1, or alternatively, butyne gas, into a process vessel in which the substrate is accommodated. The methods further involve generating a plasma inside of the process vessel by emitting a microwave. The pressure inside of the process vessel is maintained to be 4.0 Pa or less and the substrate is maintained to be 200° C. or less while the insulating film is formed.

Data reader apparatus having an adaptive lens

Systems and methods for making and using handheld data readers comprising one or more fluid lenses. One or more fluid lenses are provided to allow a handheld data reader to perform such operations as reading indicia, including such additional operations as zooming, reorienting a viewing direction, focusing, adjusting an optical axis, and correcting for the effects of motion such as hand jitter. The fluid lens or lenses can be operated for example by applying electrical signals to fluid lenses comprising a plurality of fluids including at least one that is conductive and at least one that is non-conductive.

Treatment processes for a batch ALD reactor

Embodiments of the invention provide treatment processes to reduce substrate contamination during a fabrication process within a vapor deposition chamber. A treatment process may be conducted before, during or after a vapor deposition process, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. In one example of an ALD process, a process cycle, containing an intermediate treatment step and a predetermined number of ALD cycles, is repeated until the deposited material has a desired thickness. The chamber and substrates may be exposed to an inert gas, an oxidizing gas, a nitriding gas, a reducing gas or plasmas thereof during the treatment processes. In some examples, the treatment gas contains ozone, water, ammonia, nitrogen, argon or hydrogen. In one example, a process for depositing a hafnium oxide material within a batch process chamber includes a pretreatment step, an intermediate step during an ALD process and a post-treatment step.

Methods and apparatus for inducing controlled renal neuromodulation

Methods and apparatus are provided for inducing, monitoring and controlling renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. In some embodiments, tissue impedance, conductance or conductivity may be monitored to determine the effects of pulsed electric field therapy, e.g., to determine an extent of electroporation and its degree of irreversibility. Pulsed electric field electroporation of tissue causes a decrease in tissue impedance and an increase in tissue conductivity. If induced electroporation is reversible, upon cessation of the pulsed electric field, tissue impedance and conductivity should approximate baseline levels; however, if electroporation is irreversible, impedance and conductivity changes should persist. Thus, monitoring of impedance or conductivity may be utilized to determine the onset of electroporation and to determine the type or extent of electroporation. Furthermore, monitoring data may be used in one or more manual or automatic feedback loops to control the electroporation.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes the step of depositing the capacitor insulating film in a form of a hafnium silicate

The invention aims at enabling leakage current characteristics and a step coverage property to be improved by depositing a hafnium silicate film by utilizing an atomic layer evaporation method using a hafnium raw material, a silicon raw material and an oxidizing agent. Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a trench capacitor including a first electrode formed on an inner surface of a trench, a capacitor insulating film formed on a surface of the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on a surface of the capacitor insulating film. The method includes the step of depositing the capacitor insulating film in a form of a hafnium silicate film by utilizing an atomic layer deposition method using a hafnium raw material, a silicon raw material and an oxidizing agent.